Up to 50 countries continue to block travel from the UK despite a resumption of movement to and from France and the European Commission calling for an end to blanket bans.
The French government announced a limited return of travel from the UK from midnight on Tuesday to allow goods to move across the channel.
Other restrictions on travel to France will be in place until at least January 6
All travellers from the UK will need to present a negative Covid-19 test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure, the Foreign Office confirmed.
French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said that flights, ferries and Eurostar services would re-start for returning French residents and other with a “legitimate” reason.
The port of Dover said: “Passenger traffic including French nationals, EU citizens, those with French residency and those carrying out essential trips must procure a Covid test – PCR or lateral-flow – and achieve a valid negative result less than 72 hours before attempting to travel to and from the port.”
The Dutch government will also permit passengers from the UK with a negative Covid-19 test to travel from today.
The test must be no older than 72 hours and must be presented before travel.
“This requirement is applicable to passengers on airplanes and passenger ferries. You may be asked to present your PCR test to the authorities upon arrival in the Netherlands,” the FCDO said.
Those travelling from the UK who have permanent residency in Belgium or are Belgian nationals will be able to enter from today until December 31.
“Exemptions apply for non-residents whose travel cannot be postponed, such as for essential work or compelling family circumstances,” the FCDO said in updated travel advice.
“These travellers will have to carry proof of the essential purpose of their travel. From 25 December they, along with non-residents from all other destinations, will need to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test before entry, taken no more than 48 hours prior to arrival in Belgium.”
While some travel curbs have seen gradual relaxation, Ireland extended restrictions on travel from the UK until at least December 31.
Germany extended a ban on flights from the UK until January 6 and Luxembourg until January 3.
Japan joined nations curbing entry by foreign nationals from the UK while the Philippines issued an entry ban for passengers who have been in the UK in the last 14 days.
Travel restrictions have been imposed due to the rapid spread of a new variant of Covid-19 which is expected to lead to righter tier 4 restrictions being extended from London and south-east England to other counties from Boxing Day.